Collected works > Edinburgh edition, 1894-98 - Works of Robert Louis Stevenson > Volume 5, 1895 - Miscellanies, Volume II

YOSHIDA-TORAJIRO
however that may be, the change was of great im-
portance to Yoshida ; for by the influence of his
admirers in the Daimio's council, he was allowed
the privilege, underhand, of dwelling in his own
house. And there, as well to keep up communica-
tion with his fellow-reformers as to pursue his work
of education, he received bol^s to teach. It must
not be supposed that he was free ; he was too marked
a man for that ; he was probably assigned to some
small circle, and lived, as we should say, under
police surveillance ; but to him, who had done so
much from under lock and key, this would seem a
large and profitable liberty.
It was at this period that Mr. Masaki was brought
into personal contact with Yoshida ; and hence,
through the eyes of a boy of thirteen, we get one
good look at the character and habits of the hero.
He was ugly and laughably disfigured with the
small-pox ; and while nature had been so niggardly
with him from the first, his personal habits were
even sluttish. His clothes were wretched ; when he
ate or washed he wiped his hands upon his sleeves ;
and as his hair was not tied more than once in the
two months, it was often disgusting to behold.
With such a picture, it is easy to believe that he
never married. A good teacher, gentle in act,
although violent and abusive in speech, his lessons
were apt to go over the heads of his scholars, and to
leave them gaping, or more often laughing. Such
was his passion for study that he even grudged
himself natural repose ; and when he grew drowsy
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